Combination Beverage Cup and Lid or Base

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a design for a combination cup and base structure, including cooperating structural features such that the cup snaps into the base structure. Disclosed are embodiments for a combination cup and lid which include features such that the lid may act as a lid, a coaster, and a stable supporting base for the beverage cup in different configurations, including a single or multi-beverage tray, or stacked beverages. In a disclosed combination design cup and base, the cup includes an annular bead on a protruding edge of the bottom of the cup. The base design includes an inner annular protrusion sized to guide the annular bead on the bottom of the cup into an annular grove on the top inside surface protrusion. The annular groove is sized to fit the bead firmly, forming a stabilizing structure for the beverage cup.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally related to the field of beveragecontainers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Restaurants, cafeterias and coffee shops often serve hot and coldbeverages in disposable cups with lids. Conventional designs include aplastic lid and paper cup. Conventional designs for the cup itselfgenerally have a rolled paper opening, forming a lip or bead on theupper edge. In order for cups to be packable in large numbers thesetypes of cups are generally formed in a tapered conical shape with thetop opening of the cup of a larger diameter than the bottom diameter ofthe cup. When filled with a liquid, this shape of the cup raises thecenter of gravity, making the cup highly unstable.

Hot beverages pose a potential danger for consumers because they may beat or near scalding temperatures. Many conventional designs have beenproposed to mitigate this danger by: insulating the body of the cup fromburning the hand of the drinker; increasing the structural strength ofthe cup to prevent the cup from collapsing; and reducing scaldingaccidents with more secure lid designs. Beverages are frequently carriedon slick plastic trays, making spills a common problem when carryingmultiple beverages or beverages and food in typical top heavy disposablecups.

Tabletop stains from beverage cups are generally prevented with coasterson the tabletop. A few designs have been proposed for combining thefunctions of a lid and coaster together. These designs share a commonproblem of being unstable and have not enjoyed adoption by consumers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is a design for a combination cup and base structure,including cooperating structural features such that the cup snaps intothe base structure.

Disclosed are embodiments for a combination cup and lid which includefeatures such that the lid may act as a lid, a coaster, and a stablesupporting base for the beverage cup in different configurations,including a single or multi-beverage tray, or stacked beverages.

In a disclosed combination design cup and base, the cup includes anannular bead on a protruding edge of the bottom of the cup. The basedesign includes an inner annular protrusion sized to guide the annularbead on the bottom of the cup into an annular grove on the top insidesurface protrusion. The annular groove is sized to fit the bead firmly,forming a stabilizing structure for the beverage cup.

In various embodiments, both the top edge or rim of the cup and thebottom edge include an annular bead. In various embodiments, the beadedtop and bottom edges are formed by a rolled edge of the cup's paperbased material. The base design includes an inner annular protrusionsized to guide the annular bead on the bottom of the cup into an annulargrove on the top inside surface protrusion. The annular groove is sizedto fit the bead on the cup firmly, forming a stabilizing structure forthe beverage cup. In various embodiments which include acting as a lid,the base design includes an outermost annular groove on the bottomsurface of the base (lid). The groove is sized to snap tightly over thebead on the annular rim of the cup to form a cup and lid combination inthis configuration. Both the cup and base (lid) are stackable when theyinclude these disclosed structures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Shown in FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cup and base (lid) fittedin the base (coaster) configuration.

Shown in FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of the cup with the base,showing the stabilizing structure.

Shown in FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cup and base (lid) fittedin the lid configuration.

Shown in FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of the cup with the base actingas both a lid and a base fitted to two stacked cups.

Shown in FIG. 5 is a perspective view of part of a multi-beveragecarrier tray utilizing the stabilizing cup and base structure.

Shown in FIG. 6 is a top view of part of a base structure with a limitedannular groove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is a combination of cooperating structures for a cup and basewhich create a stabilizing platform for the cup. Various disclosedembodiments include a base which also acts as a lid, and a base which isembedded in a multi-beverage tray or food and beverage tray.

In various embodiments the cup has a annular bead around the bottom ofthe cup which firmly cooperates with an annular groove in the base.

In various embodiments, the cup has annular beads on the upper and loweredges so forming rim beads which fit either into or over annular groovesin a base and lid. The base and lid may be the same piece.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the cup 101 which has been fittedinto the base 103. The cooperating cup bottom rim bead and base annulargroove are not visible in this view. In the embodiment shown, the cupincludes an upper rim annular bead 102 which is utilized in to attach alid. Shown are the bottom rim annular bead 104, and the base/lidelements—the annular grove 105 and annular protrusion 102 which fits thecup base/lid when in the base configuration.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a cup 201 with a base 202 acting tosecure and stabilize the cup. The bottom rim annular bead 203 of cup201, which is extended below the bottom 207 of the liquid containerportion of the cup 201 is shown fitted against the cooperating innerannular grove 204 of the base 202. In order for the bottom rim to bemore easily fitted into base, the annular protrusion of the base 205 isdesigned such that the inner surface of the protrusion is tapered 206 toguide the annular bead 203 into the base groove 204.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the cup 301 with its base (lid) 303in the lid configuration. The cooperating cup upper rim bead and lid(base) groove are shown 305. The cup lower rim annular bead 304 isvisible in this configuration.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of two cups 401A and 401B with a base (lid)402 acting as base and lid for the upper and lower cups, respectively.In this detail, the manner in which the base (lid) is fitted to the cupsfor both configurations is apparent. The bottom rim annular bead 403 ofcup 401A, which is extended below the bottom of the liquid containerportion of the cup 402 is shown fitted against the inner annular grove404 of the base (lid) 405. The upper annular rim bead 407 of cup 401B isshown fitted against the outer annular groove 406 of the base (lid) 405.In order for the bottom rim 403 to be more easily fitted into base (lid)405, the annular protrusion of the base 408 is designed such that theinner surface of the protrusion is tapered 409 to guide the annular bead403 into the base groove 404.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the cup 502 and base 503 with basestructure affixed to or embedded in a carrier tray 501. In variousembodiments, the carrier tray may be a food and beverage tray or amulti-beverage tray, or both. In embodiments with the base structureembedded in the tray carrier, the base structure may be formed to bestackable with other trays. In various embodiments, the tray may bemanufactured of various materials which are reusable including metal orplastic, or may be manufactured of disposable or recyclable material.

In various embodiments with the base formed from a reusable materialsuch as in a hard plastic tray, the annular groove in the base isdesigned to allow the cup bottom bead to deform enough to fit into thegroove. In various embodiments, this is provided by the design of thegroove curvature, or by the annular extent of the groove. FIG. 6 showsan embodiment with a limited annular groove. Depicted in the figure is atop view showing the outer 601 and inner 603 edges of the baseprotrusion, with the grooved formed by a limited number of annularembedded structures 602 which fit over the lower annular bead of the cupas it is pushed into the base.

In other embodiments, the cup is manufactured from material which iscapable of forming a rolled bead at the upper and lower rims of the cup.In various embodiments, the cup and lid/base are constructed ofdisposable materials. In other embodiments, the cup and lid/base arecomposed of materials suitable for reuse.

In certain embodiments, the base (lid) may extend flat and outward fromits outer annular groove such that the base (lid) forms a platform ofincreased stability on highly unstable surfaces such as sand. In otherembodiments, the base (lid) is composed of a material which is absorbentof liquids such that the base (lid) has improved properties as a coasteror base which may also act to resist sliding of the base across thesurface on top of which it rests.

It will be understood that the particular embodiments described indetail herein are illustrative of the invention and that many otherembodiments are applicable. The principal features highlighted hereinmay be employed in many embodiments within the scope of the claim.

I claim:
 1. A cup and base comprising: a cup wherein the cup includes anopen end and a closed end wherein a lower rim of the cup extends belowthe closed end and has an annular bead shape; a base wherein the baseincludes a circular protrusion which fits the closed end of the cup andan annular groove inside the circular protrusion where the groove shapedto fit said cup lower rim bead from below; whereby the cup is stabilizedby fitting the cup bead into the base groove.
 2. A cup and base as inclaim 1 wherein one or more bases are part of a single carrier platform.3. A cup and base as in claim 1 wherein the base groove is formed by oneor more segments which are partial segments of the full circumference ofsaid circular protrusion.
 4. A cup and base as in claim 1 wherein: saidcup has a tapered shape from a larger open end to a smaller closed end;said cup includes a second annular bead on a rim of said open end of thecup; said base includes a second annular groove of a larger diameterthan the first groove wherein said second groove is on a bottom surfaceof the base and cooperates by firmly fitting the bead on the open end ofthe cup; whereby said base may act as either the base or a lid of thecup.
 5. A cup and base as in claim 1 wherein a least a portion of thebase is formed of a liquid absorbent material.
 6. A cup and base as inclaim 1 wherein the base includes a non-slip element forming at leastpart of the base.
 7. A cup carrier comprising: one or more cylindricallyshaped receptacles shaped to receive the bottom of a cup; an annulargroove at the bottom periphery of the indentation; wherein thereceptacles are configured to guide an annular bead on the bottom of acup into the annular groove at the bottom of the indentation, andwherein the annular groove is configured to accept the annular bear ofthe cup and to removably hold the cup in the carrier.
 8. A cup carrieras in claim 7 wherein the carrier is configured with an element forreceiving food containers.
 9. A cup holder comprising: a base; whereinthe base structure includes a means for removably attaching the base tothe bottom of a cup.
 10. A cup holder as in claim 9 wherein said baseincludes a means for removably attaching said base to the top of saidcup.
 11. A cup holder as in claim 9 further comprising: one or moreadditional bases configured as part of the cup holder structure, whereineach additional base structure includes the same means for removablyattaching the additional base to the bottom of additional cups.
 12. Acup holder as in claim 9 further comprising: one or more additionalbases configured as part of the cup holder structure, wherein eachadditional base structure includes the same means for removablyattaching the additional base to the bottom of additional cups, whereinthe means for removably attaching the base is a groove structureconfigured to accept a bead on a bottom edge or the cup, wherein afteraccepting the bead the groove restricts upward movement of the cup. 13.A cup holder as in claim 9 wherein base structure includes means forstacking multiple bases together.